The families of 17 migrant workers from Telangana, who died in Gulf countries over the past year of illnesses, accidents, etc, on Wednesday received cheques of Rs 5 lakh each from Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
The CM, who was in Rajanna Sircilla district’s Vemulawada to lay foundation stones for several development projects, met the families from the area.
Since December 7 last year, when the Congress government came to power, 160 people from across Telangana have died while they were in Gulf countries such as UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Bahrain to work. The highest number of deceased are from Nizamabad and Jagital districts, said Congress NRI cell convener Manda Bheem Reddy.
On September 9, the Telangana government issued an order for an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each for the 160 families who lost loved ones in the Gulf since December 7.
The state’s NRI department Wednesday issued orders to release an additional Rs 1 crore to the Rs 6.45 crore already released last month, to address the shortage of funds for the families.
Apart from setting up an advisory committee for Gulf workers’ welfare, the state government has also decided to provide admission to the children of the deceased in government residential schools on priority.
“No other state in the country is giving this amount of financial assistance to workers who die in the Gulf. These families, having lost their earning members, are in dire need of assistance. The CM has said that the government will extend a helping hand to Gulf victims,’’ said Bheem Reddy.
